ISS 2016 Statistics Paper-1 Solution: Question 78 (Alt Key and ASCII Character Codes)

We are continuing our question-by-question walk through the ISS Statistics Paper-1 previous year papers, and today we land on a short but genuinely useful computer-fundamentals question from the 2016 paper. If you have ever wondered how people type special characters that are not printed on the keyboard, this question explains exactly that trick.

This series covers every single MCQ from the ISS Statistics Paper-1 papers in order, so that by the time you reach the actual exam, you have already seen the full pattern of questions the commission likes to ask.

Quick Summary

• Topic:Basic Computer Knowledge – keyboard keys and character codes

• Question Reference:ISS 2016, Statistics Paper-1, Question 78

• Correct Answer:(a) Alt key

The Question

78. Which key is used to convert an ASCII code to the corresponding character (if displayable)?

• (a) Alt key

• (b) Shift key

• (c) Ctrl key

• (d) Esc key

Step 1: Understand What ASCII Codes Are

Every character you see on a screen – a letter, a digit, a punctuation mark, even a space – is stored inside a computer as a number, not as a picture of that character. The American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII)is simply an agreed table that assigns a unique number to each character. For example, the capital letter 'A' is stored as the number 65, the digit '0' is stored as 48, and so on. When a program needs to display a character, it looks up the number in this table and draws the matching symbol on the screen.

Because every character has a fixed numeric code, it becomes possible to type a character directly by entering its code, instead of pressing the key that is normally labelled with that character. This is especially handy for symbols that do not appear anywhere on a standard keyboard, such as ° (degree), § (section), or various accented letters.

Step 2: See How the Conversion Actually Happens

On a standard Windows keyboard, there is a well-known shortcut for this: you hold down the Alt key, and while continuing to hold it, you type the ASCII code of the character on the numeric keypad (not the number row at the top of the keyboard). Once you release the Alt key, the character corresponding to that code appears wherever your cursor was.

For example:

• Hold Alt and type 65 on the numeric keypad → releases to show 'A'

• Hold Alt and type 2 on the numeric keypad → releases to show a smiley face symbol (a special, non-printable-by-default ASCII code)

• Hold Alt and type 0176 (an extended code) → releases to show '°'

This technique is often called typing an “Alt code.” It works precisely because the Alt key, in this context, tells the operating system “interpret the digits I am about to receive as a character code, and convert that code into its displayable character,” rather than treating each digit as an ordinary keystroke.

Step 3: Eliminate the Other Options

Let us quickly check why the remaining three options do not fit the description in the question.

• (b) Shift key:The Shift key is used to type uppercase letters or the secondary symbol printed on a key (like typing '!' instead of '1'). It does not convert a numeric code into a character; it simply switches which existing, already-labelled symbol on a key gets typed.

• (c) Ctrl key:The Control key is mainly used in combination with other keys to trigger commands or shortcuts, such as Ctrl+C to copy or Ctrl+S to save. It has no role in converting a numeric ASCII value into a character.

• (d) Esc key:The Escape key is used to cancel an ongoing operation, close a menu, or exit a mode. It has nothing to do with character codes at all.

Only the Alt key, used together with the numeric keypad, performs the specific job described in the question: taking a numeric ASCII code and converting it into the displayable character it represents.

Pro Tip: A quick way to remember this for the exam is to link the words “

Final Answer

The correct answer is (a) Alt key. This matches the official ISS 2016 answer key exactly, so there is no discrepancy to flag for this question.

Why This Question Matters

Questions like this one are a reminder that the ISS Statistics Paper-1 does not only test pure statistics – it also carries a noticeable share of basic computer awareness, covering things like hardware components, operating system behaviour, networking basics, and simple keyboard shortcuts. These questions are usually quick to answer if you have seen them before, but easy to lose marks on if this is the first time you are encountering the concept in an exam setting. Building a habit of going through previous year papers topic by topic, rather than only studying statistics formulas, is what closes this gap.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is basic computer knowledge really part of the ISS Statistics Paper-1 syllabus?

Yes. Along with core statistical topics, ISS Statistics Paper-1 regularly includes a section of questions on computer fundamentals, covering hardware, software, operating systems, networking, and general digital literacy. Candidates often underestimate this section because it feels unrelated to statistics.

Do I need to memorise ASCII codes for every character to answer such questions?

No, you do not need to memorise the numeric codes themselves. What matters for this type of question is understanding the concept – that ASCII assigns a number to each character, and that the Alt key plus the numeric keypad is the mechanism used to convert such a code back into a character on a Windows system.

Does the Alt code trick work with the number row at the top of the keyboard instead of the numeric keypad?

Generally, no. The Alt code method specifically relies on the numeric keypad found on the right side of full-size keyboards. On laptops without a dedicated numeric keypad, you usually need to enable a hidden numeric keypad mode (often with the Fn key) for the trick to work.

Why do options like Ctrl and Shift feel like reasonable distractors here?

Because Ctrl and Shift are also modifier keys used alongside other keys, just like Alt, it is tempting to assume any of them could serve this purpose. The distinction lies in function: Shift changes which labelled symbol on a key appears, and Ctrl triggers software commands, while only Alt (with the numeric keypad) is wired to interpret digits as a raw character code.

Are there other ways to insert special characters besides the Alt code method?

Yes, most operating systems also offer a dedicated Character Map or Emoji/Symbol picker tool, and many word processors have an “Insert Symbol” menu. However, for a direct, keyboard-only MCQ about converting an ASCII code to its character, the Alt key remains the standard textbook answer.

How should I prepare for this mix of statistics and general computer questions in Paper-1?

A practical approach is to solve previous year papers question by question, noting down every non-statistics topic you encounter along the way, and reviewing it separately as a short revision list. Over a few years of papers, this naturally builds a fairly complete picture of what general computer topics tend to repeat.

If anything in this solution feels unclear, or you solved this question differently, drop a comment below and let us know – and if you found this helpful, consider sharing it with a fellow ISS aspirant who is also working through the Paper-1 previous year papers.